dragon | mythological creature | Britannica.com mythological creature long Dragon, legendary monster usually conceived as a huge, bat-winged, fire-breathing, scaly lizard or snake with a barbed tail. The belief in these creatures apparently arose without the slightest knowledge on the part of the ancients of the gigantic, prehistoric, dragon-like reptiles. In Greece the word drakōn, from which the English word was derived, was used originally for any large serpent (see sea serpent ), and the dragon of mythology, whatever shape it later assumed, remained essentially a snake. Detail of a dragon from the Nine Dragon Wall, relief in glazed tile, 1756; in Bei Hai Park, Beijing. © Hung Chung Chih/Shutterstock.com In general, in the Middle Eastern world, where snakes are large and deadly, the serpent or dragon was symbolic of the principle of evil. Thus, the Egyptian god Apepi , for example, was the great serpent of the world of darkness. But the Greeks and Romans, though accepting the Middle Eastern idea of the serpent as an evil power, also at times conceived the drakontes as beneficent powers—sharp-eyed dwellers in the inner parts of the Earth.

On the whole, however, the evil reputation of dragons was the stronger, and in Europe it outlived the other. Christianity confused the ancient benevolent and malevolent serpent deities in a common condemnation. In Christian art the dragon came to be symbolic of sin and paganism and, as such, was depicted prostrate beneath the heels of saints and martyrs . The dragon’s form varied from the earliest times. The Chaldean dragon Tiamat had four legs, a scaly body, and wings, whereas the biblical dragon of Revelation, “the old serpent,” was many-headed like the Greek Hydra. Because they not only possessed both protective and terror-inspiring qualities but also had decorative effigies, dragons were early used as warlike emblems. Thus, in the Iliad, King Agamemnon had on his shield a blue three-headed snake, just as the Norse warriors in later times painted dragons on their shields and carved dragons’ heads on the prows of their ships. In England before the Norman Conquest , the dragon was chief among the royal ensigns in war, having been instituted as such by Uther Pendragon , father of King Arthur.

In the 20th century the dragon was officially incorporated in the armorial bearings of the prince of Wales. Similar Topics Dragon | Mythology Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Norse mythology This article is about the mythical creature. For the Mesopotamian god , see Dagon . The Dragons are viewed as mythical creatures, typically depicted as gigantic and powerful serpents or other reptiles with magical, spiritual or supernatural qualities. Most dragons are either European dragons, derived from various, European folk traditions, or unrelated, Oriental dragons, derived from the Chinese dragon (lóng). Like most other mythological creatures, dragons are perceived in different ways by different cultures around the world. Dragons are sometimes said to be able to breathe and spit fire or poison as well as many other elements. They are commonly portrayed as serpentine or reptilian, hatching from eggs and possessing, typically, feathered or scaly bodies. They are sometimes portrayed as having large, yellow or red eyes, a feature that is the origin of the word for "dragon" in many cultures. They are sometimes portrayed with a row of dorsal spines, keeled scales, or leathery, bat-like wings.

Winged dragons are usually portrayed only in European dragons while Oriental versions of the dragon resemble large snakes. Dragons can have a variable number of legs: none, two, four, or more when it comes to early European literature. Modern depictions of dragons tend to be larger than their original representations, which were often smaller than humans. Although dragons occur in many legends around the world, different cultures have varying stories about monsters that have been grouped together under the dragon label. Dragons are often held to have major, spiritual significance in various religions and cultures around the world. In many East Asian cultures, dragons were, and in some cultures, still are, revered as representative of the primal forces of nature, religion and the universe. They are associated with wisdom—often said to be wiser than humans—and longevity. They are commonly said to possess some form of magic or other supernatural power or powers, and are often associated with wells, rain, and rivers. In some cultures, they are also said to be capable of human speech. Contents Edit A Depiction of a European Dragon European dragons from Catalonia (Catalan Dragons), are depicted as serpent-like creatures, with two or four legs. Female Catalan dragons are named víbria.

Their breath is poisonous, said to be capable to rot anything or anyone it touches. In French legend, dragons are referred to as dragoons. In Italian legend, more exactly in Sardinian myth, a dragon named Scultone is mentioned. This dragon had the power to kill humans with his gaze, is said it was immortal, resided in rural, undeveloped land or country areas. Wyverns are dragon-headed creatures with two legs mentioned and used as logos in english culture and medieval times. A Chinese Dragon Edit Chinese dragons are more snake-like than the European breed, and are generally portrayed as being benevolent beings. Though there are exceptions in both cases. Such dragons are also depicted in varying shapes, colors, and sizes, with some similar to the fairies of other cultures. Japanese dragons are very similar to Chinese dragons, but have 3 claws instead of four. Usually are depicted as being benevolent and golden in color. These types of dragon are usually perceived as signs of good luck in Chinese culture. Norse Mythology Edit Citizens use Chinese dragon disguises in various of their celebrations, mainly when celebrating new year's eve or the dragon year. There is even a fighting style named and based after the Chinese Dragon.

The Dragon style (Southern Dragon Style) is an imitative-style that was developed based on the imagined characteristics of the Chinese Dragon. The history of Dragon style has been transmitted orally rather than by text or graphically, therefore it is hard to tell where it truly originated. Temples in Taiwan have dragon heads in their roofs, placed there to act as guardians (much like the gargoyles in medieval European architecture). Japanese Culture The Japanese and Chinese depictions of a dragon are very similar. The Japanese version of the dragon is used in the Golden Dragon Parade and Festival. European Cultures Edit Various countries in Europe use dragons as logos and symbols in their flags such as Wales' flag which sports a red four-legged dragon. Also, just as in China, the dragons are used as theme in the fabrication of boats for annual boat contests in various European countries, the first ever European dragon boat competition was organized in Great Britain. Legacy Dragons are widely mentioned throughout history and popular culture, such instances includes the naming of a large, crocodile-like creature known as the Komodo Dragon. The Komodo Dragon is suspect of possibly being the last species of reptilians dinosaurs. Abilities Edit Dragons are said to breathe different things, like fire, poison or ice.

They tend to be pretty big and therefore strong, and generally have sharp claws, horns and/or teeth. They have wings and are fast and agile fliers. They can have varieties of different powers. Such can include the power of speech. In Popular Culture Edit Dragons have been present in literature for thousands of years and even up to today's era. English literature has brought significant change in the world's culture with novels such as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit which featured, Smaug, a large dragon as one of its antagonists. Literature A gigantic and powerful European dragon named Smaug appears as the main antagonist of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. Indonesian dragons appear in Monsterology: The Complete Book of Fabulous Beasts. Western Dragons appear in the Inheritance Cycle, a 4 book Epic Fantasy Series. which is about a Boy named Eragon and his Dragon Saphira. The Inheritance Cycle has been adapted into the 2006 film, Eragon. In The Erth Dragons there are a tribe of "Erth" Dragons. Television Edit The trading card game hit animated tv series Yu-Gi-Oh! features a plethora of dragons.

Among them the Blue Eyes White Dragon, the Red Eyes Black Dragon, the Winged Dragon of Ra and Slifer the Sky Dragon. A dragon named Fang appears in Avatar:The Last Airbender. He is the animal companion of Avatar Roku, one of Aang's past lives. Two dragons also appear as the Firebending Masters that Aang and Zuko must learn from in order to master Firebending. They are mentioned as the last two dragons alive. A dragon related to the Firebending Masters appears in The Legend of Korra. Dragons appear in the HBO series, Game of Thrones. They are depicted as wyverns which can grow to immense size and breathe fire hot enough to melt stone. They are thought to be extinct throughout the show, until three fossilized eggs are hatched by the character Daenerys Targaryen. The three dragons depicted in the show are Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion. Dragons and anthropomorphic dragons appears throughout the Dragon Ball franchise. Shen Long, a divine dragon that grants wishes once the seven Dragon Balls have been reunited appears in Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and the remastered version of Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Kai.

He also appears in the corresponding video games. An evil, red-skinned Shenron, appears in Dragon Ball GT. Another evil dragon known as Black Smoke Shenron also appeared in Dragon Ball GT as the source/progenitor of the Shadow Dragons, seven dragons that were born from the negative energy from the positive wishes made from overuse of the Dragon Balls. Spike the Dragon appears in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Three dragons appeared in Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog called Pyre, Tyrune, and a Drageen (or baby dragon). Animal Planet released a docudrama based on what could have happened if dragons had existed based on the information of cultures that never met centuries ago. It featured four types of dragons: The Prehistoric Dragon, the Marine Dragon, the Forest Dragon and the Mountain Dragon. In the cartoon series based off the card and video game series Pokemon, there are several Pokemon based off dragons, such as Dratini, Dragonair, Dragonite, etc. Film Edit In the live action remake of Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent, the fairy uses her magic to turn her bird companion into a fire-breathing European dragon in order to protect her from the King's soldiers.

A dragon appears in "The Pagemaster" in the land of fantasy towards the end of the film, disguised as a cave until Adventure accidentally awakens it and it attacks the protagonists. Video Games Nidhogg appears in Age of Mythology and its expansion. Dragon appears in Scribblenauts games. Films Edit European dragons appear in the CGI animated film How to Train Your Dragon. In the 1996 live-action film Braveheart, dragons are portrayed as been good beings who often save humans, in contrast with their common violent portrayals in other media. In the 2002 film Reign of Fire, dormant dragons (or wyverns) are awakened in the modern world with grave consequences. A compassionate female dragon which is in love with Donkey appears in Shrek, Shrek 2 and Shrek Forever After. A docudrama called "Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real" featuring dragons as actual creatures appeared on Animal Planet. Within the film, at least four different types of dragons are shown as living in the past, starting from the era of the dinosaurs up to the 1400s.

They were seen able to fly, breathe fire, both capable with the aid of hydrogen and methane to keep them airborne and provide a flammable source, possessed sharp talons that tear through stone, and possessed incisors and molars for teeth. In Disney's Mulan, the character Mushu is a Chinese dragon, voiced by comedian Eddie Murphy. A dragon named Saphira appears in Eragon, a film adaption of the Inheritance Cycle. A dragon called Draco appears in Dragonheart, a film in where dragons are all but extinct, except for one which befriends a dragon hunter. Gallery Category:Flags with mythological animals - Wikimedia Commons Category:Flags with mythological animals This category has the following 9 subcategories, out of 9 total. D ► Flags with dragons ‎ (4 C, 1 P, 59 F) F ► Flags with griffins ‎ (3 C, 8 F) G ► Flags with unicorns ‎ (11 C, 1 F) W Media in category "Flags with mythological animals" The following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total.

Mythical Creature Vectors, Photos and PSD files | Free Download Haechi,Statue of a mythological lion-like animal at Gyeongbokgun 3 0 5 days ago The Merlion 9,796 6 3 years ago Chinese monster 2,696 47 2 years ago Chinese zodiac rabbit sign 2,326 50 2 years ago Vector Dragon Tattoo 7,427 13 5 years ago Sphinx 38 0 5 months ago Fountain sphinx legendary 673 3 4 years ago Crossing road grunge sign welsh dragon imaginary 951 4 4 years ago Crossing road grunge sign standing peg 1,592 4 4 years ago Great Sphinx of Giza 771 4 3 years ago Saint michel fountain outdoors 579 1 4 years ago Crossing road grunge sign standing pegasus 1,711 9 4 years ago Free Vector Mythical Creature Sample 796 2 5 years ago Welsh custom grunge emblem 712 2 4 years ago Fountain sphinx 490

 0 4 years ago Crossing road grunge sign welsh dragon 1,150 7 4 years ago Bhutan grunge flag 538 2 4 years ago Vintage Emblem 1,729 5 6 years ago Mythical Creatures 10,072 24 5 years ago Saint michel fountain 459 0 4 years ago Griffin 325 1 4 years ago Dragon kite 786 1 4 years ago The latest from the blog RAOnline Bhutan - Bhutan at a glance: National Symbols - Animal, Bird, Crown, Day, Emblem, Flag, Flower, Game, Tree Bhutan at a glance NATIONAL SYMBOLS Raven Crown Uzha Jarog Dongchen is the Raven Crown of Bhutan, a symbol of Mahakala, the protective deity of the first Zhabdrung.

The head of a raven lies on top of a motif called Jachung, embroidered on the brim of the crown. A sun and moon on the dead of the raven symbolize longevity., steadfastness and enlightenment. The Norbu, also in the head, is a sacred gem symbolic of the fulfillment of right effort. Royal Family National Emblem The national emblem is contained in a circle with two dragons framing a double diamond - thunderbolt (dorji) placed above a lotus, surmounted by a jewel. The dorji symbolizes harmony between secular and religious power while the jewel represents sovereign power. The quality of purity is presented in the lotus. The two dragons, male and female, call out the name of the country with their thunderous voice. National Flag The national flag of Bhutan is representative of the country's general features. The secular authority of the king is shown by the upper half of the flag, which is yellow, the color of fruitful action in state and religious affairs. The lower orange half of the flag represents the religious practice and spiritual power of Mahayana Buddhism. The thunder dragon running diagonally across the middle of the flag signifies the name Druk Yul.

Its white color is an expression of purity and loyalty of the various ethnic and linguistic groups in the country. The country's wealth and perfection are the jewels clasped in the dragon's claws, protected by the strength of the deities expressed by the snaring mouth of the dragon. National Anthem In the Thunder Dragon Kingdom adorned with sandalwood The protector who guards the teachings of the dual system He, the precious and glorious ruler, causes dominion to spread While his unchanging person abides in consistency As the doctrine of the Lord Buddha flourishes May the sun and peace of happiness shine on the people! National Day December 17th is celebrated throughout the country as Gyal Yung Duechhen or National Day. It was on this day in 1907 that the country was united under a central authority with the crowning of Ugyen Wangchuck as the first hereditary king of Bhutan. The government has declared October 21st as a national holiday on the occasion of the formal accession of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck as Chhoetse Penlop.

National Holidays National Dress The national dress of Bhutan is called the 'Gho' for men and 'Kira' for women. It was introduced during the 17th century by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to give the Bhutanese a unique identity. In an effort to preserve and promote its cultural heritage, all Bhutanese are required to wear the national dress in government offices, schools and on formal occasions. The gho is a long robe hoisted to the knee and held in place with a 'Kera,' a woven cloth belt, wound tightly around the waist. This forms a large pouch above that may be used to contain particular items, traditionally a bowl and betel nut. The kira is a floor-length rectangular piece of cloth wrapped around the body over a blouse called wonju. The kira is held from the shoulders by broach-like hooks called 'Koma' and is fastened at the waist with a kera. The dress is complete with a short, open jacket-like garment called 'Toego.' Bhutan Dress National Game The national sport of Bhutan is archery.

It is an exclusively male sport although women are as much part of the whole affair for their participation in the rituals of dancing and verbal encouragements that accompany the game. Sarcastic refrains are often made about the archers in an attempt to distract them from hitting a straight arrow. Traditional bows and arrows are made from although the popularity of the foreign compound bows is gaining momentum amongst those who can afford it. Archery National Animal The 'Dong Gyem Tsey' or Takin is Bhutan's national animal for its uniqueness and strong association with the country's religious history and mythology. It is said that during his visit to Bhutan in the 15th century, the divine madman Lama Drukpa Kuenley was asked to perform a miracle. After devouring a whole cow and goat, he took the goat's head and stuck it onto the bones of the cow's body. On his command, this strange animal came to life and ran to gaze on the mountainside. To this day, these animals resembling a cross between a gnu and a musk deer can be found grazing on herbs, shrubs and grass in the north - western and far north - eastern Bhutan.

Wangchuck Centennial Park National Bird The Raven, Bhutan's national bird, is depicted on the crown of the king as representative of Jarog Dongchen who, along with Yeshey Gonpo (Mahakala) and Palden Lhamo (Mahakali) constitute the most powerful deities of the country. As the Divine Trinity, they safeguarded the well - being of the kingdom and protect the king and people from harm. National Flower The blue poppy (Meconopsis grandis) is known as 'Euitgel Metog Hoem' in Bhutan. It was once considered to be myth because of its unconfirmed existence. Poppies are found along high mountain passes from the far eastern parts of the country across to the wes. Wangchuck Centennial Park National Tree The Bhutanese consider the cypress tree sacred and identify with it for its nature and ability to survive in difficult terrain. As the national tree, it is held in great reverence. It is often planted outside monasteries, dzongs and religious places.

Information on Bhutan The List of Mythical Creatures - A Gods and Monsters Exclusive Contact The List of Mythical Creatures I'll be honest, putting together a complete list of mythical creatures is intimidating, mostly because there are so many. So forgive me if I'm a little slow on putting this list together. Of all of the projects here on Gods-and-Monsters.com, compiling a list of mythical creatures and their stories is going to be one of the toughest. But then again, how could you have a site called "Gods and Monsters" without mentioning myth's most famous beasts? You might notice that a lot of the monsters listed here are from ancient Greek and Roman origin. As this list of mythical creatures starts to grow the Greek monsters will probably shrink down relatively, but the truth is, Greek monsters are the heart and soul, and in many cases the origin of where our more modern monsters come from. To that degree I'm going to lump all of the mythologies together. I hope you'll explore the areas that you may not be as familiar with along with the creatures you think you know well.

Since certain creatures have so much information about them, I've made more than a single page for a select few of these mythical creatures, including Vampires and Werewolves . Enjoy... A-C Alicorn - The name for a winged unicorn . Banshee - A spirit appearing as a frenzied old woman whose high pitched shriek prophesied a death soon to come. Basilisk - A legendary lizard who could kill a man with its stare. Bigfoot - A type of Sasquatch native to North American forests. Black Dog - An evil spirit dog that stalks city streets at night. Black Eyed Beings - They take human form but have black, soulless eyes and emanate a sense of pure evil. Bogeyman - A semi-corporeal being whose sole purpose is to scare children. Bogle - A ghostly being whose purpose is to confuse and scare humans and other creatures. Bray Road Beast - The nickname for a werewolf-like creature seen multiple times in Wisconsin. Brownies - Small humanoid creatures wearing all brown clothing who sneak into homes at night to help with household chores. Centaur - Half-men, half-horse creatures that ran wild and unruly.

Cerberus - The three-headed dog that guards the entrance to Hades. Charybdis - The whirlpool on one side of the Strait of Messina that swallowed ships that came too close to it. Chimera - Part-lion, part-goat, part-snake - all monster. Cockatrice - A flying part-rooster/part-snake that could kill with its stare. Cyclops - The one-eyed giant who captured and ate people. Cynocephalus - A member of an ancient race of men with the heads of dogs. List of Mythical Creatures Demon - Malevolent spirits of Hell who battle humans for control of their souls. Doppelganger - Apparitions of people that occur in impossible situations. Dragon - Giant, flying, fire-breathing lizards who often guard treasure. Dwarf - A short, stalky humanoid who live in underground mining communities. Echidna - The snake-woman who became the mother of most Greek monsters. Elf - A race of pointy-eared humanoids who excel in magic and archery. Fairy - A small, flying humanoid with magical abilities. Ghosts - Spirits of the dead whose souls remain in the realm of the living.

Gnome - A small, humanoid creature who lives and moves beneath the earth. Goblin - A grotesque, troublesome little creature with a strong greed for gold and jewels. Golem - Magically animated human-shaped creatures typically made of solid stone. Gorgon - The snake-haired and snake-bodied humanoid that was created in its mother's image. Its stare could turn a person to stone. Medusa became one of these creatures in a later myth. Griffin - A creature with the body of a lion, the tail of a snake, and the head and wings of an eagle. Grim Reaper - The embodiment of death itself, the Grim Reaper comes to take your soul to the afterlife. List of Mythical Creatures H-N Hobgoblin - A type of Brownie who is inherently less helpful and more mischievous, even to the point of causing harm if antagonized. Hydra - The nine-headed serpent who grew two new heads for every one that was cut off. Imp - Small, mischievous creatures who liked to play pranks on people. Ladon (Python) - The snake that guarded the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides.

Leprechauns - Small, bearded men who have a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Loch Ness Monster - The elusive sea-monster from the Loch Ness in Scotland. Manticore - A mythical beast with a lion's body and a human's head. Medusa - A disciple of Athena who was turned into a gorgon. She had the hair of snakes and could turn men to stone with her gaze. Mermaids - Sea creatures with the head and torso of a woman and the tail of a fish. Minotaur - The creature with the head and legs of a bull and the torso of a man, who guarded the exit to The Labyrinth. Mothman - A winged creature in the shape of a man with hypnotic red eyes sighted in West Virginia. Mutants - A term describing abnormal creatures created by genetic or environmental mutations. Nemean Lion - The giant lion with impenetrable hide who becomes the constellation Leo. New Jersey Devil - A flying creature with a high-pitched scream and a horse-like head native to the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Nymph - Divine female nature spirits who inhabit certain natural sites.

List of Mythical Creatures Ogre - An ugly, oversized humanoid creature with great physical strength and little intelligence. Orthros - The two-headed monster dog. Pegasus - Technically the proper name of Bellerophon's winged horse, which became the general name for winged horses. Phoenix - The golden bird who, at the end of its life, burst into flames only to be reborn again. Pixie - A small humanoid creature with pointy ears who likes to cause mischief. Sasquatch - Large, hairy, man-like beasts that live in the woods. Satyr - Half-men, half-goats who were wild and lustful. The god Pan was one of these. Scylla - The man-eating beast that lived on the opposite side of the Strait of Messina from Charybdis. Sea Monsters - The generic term for several breeds of water-based monsters. Sea-Goat - The half-goat, half-fish who are the children of Pricus, who becomes the constellation Capricorn. Shade - The ghosts of dead people before they are admitted entrance to Hades. Shapeshifters - Humans who can willingly take the form of an animal while maintaining their consciousness.

Sirens - Man-eating beautiful women whose song compels men to them. Sphinx - The half-human, half-lion that forces those it meets to answer its riddles, or die. Sprite - A category of elemental, fairy-like spirits, invisible to humans (a Sylph is one of these). Sylph - An invisible, fairy-like being dedicated to the element of air. List of Mythical Creatures T-Z Thunderbird - A giant bird that creates storms with its wings. Typhon - The fire-breathing giant who challenged Zeus for control of Mount Olympus. Also the father of most Greek monsters. Unicorn - A magical horse with a single horn on its forehead. Valkyries - Mythical Norse female divinities who choose heroes to die in battle and carry them to the great Valhalla. Vampire - Legend's most charming bloodsucker gets a whole section of this website all to itself. Wendigo - An evil spirit that possesses humans and turns them into cannibals. Will-o'-the-wisp - Strange flame-like lights that seem to beckon travelers to follow. Werewolf - Human by day, wolf by night. Wraith - Evil spirits of the dead who are trapped on Earth.

Zombie - The living dead who feed on human flesh. Which Mythical Creature Are You Which Mythical Creature Are You? We’re all unicorns on the inside. Barnes and Noble / Via barnesandnoble.com Good Reads / Via goodreads.com Which Mythical Creature Are You? You got: Merperson You beautiful and magnetic sea dweller. The ocean is your home, and you love all things aquatic. If you were a land dweller, you’d be a “beach person.” People are naturally drawn to you — which has led to more than one accidental shipwreck — but it isn’t your fault that you’re naturally curious and have a thirst for knowledge. You have a strong relationship with nature and believe in balance between humanity and the earth. Disney / Via sunbeam-onacloudyday.tumblr.com You got: Kraken You’re a thing of legend, and there’s a lot of debate surrounding just how you use your immense size and power: good or evil? You’re temperamental and need lots of alone time, but your lone-wolfing might lead people to misunderstand you. One thing is for sure, when it comes to a conflict, no one wants to go tentacle-to-tentacle with you.

Kraken Rum / Via krakenrum.com You got: Phoenix You fiery inferno of awesome. You’re associated with hope, immortality, and regeneration. You’re essentially immortal, so you’re an old soul, and a pro at deflecting drama without causing more conflict. You prefer observation to action, and you’re an excellent judge of character. You’re quiet by nature, but when it comes to a fight, you’re a fierce adversary. Warner Bros. / Via ravenclawsphoenix.tumblr.com You got: Sphinx You’re off-the-charts intelligent and have no patience for people who aren’t on your level. You have been known to, literally, devour the intellectually inferior. You never use one word when you can use 10, and you’re regarded with admiration and fear. Wikia / Via mythology.wikia.com You got: Centaur You’re a creature of two worlds. You enjoy the luxury of human comfort, but you your true home is in the woods. You’re active and good in groups, and have little patience for people who disagree with your opinions.

You know how to put yourself on the winning side of any situation, and you have no problem with subtly manipulating situations to your advantage, which makes you a powerful ally. Disney / Via harliquinne.tumblr.com You got: Elf You beautiful, aloof creature. You’re one of the most revered and honored creatures in the fantasy world, but you’re also very hard to pin down. You’re an interesting mix of empathetic politician and pragmatic dreamer. You believe in the power of justice, but you also believe in the power of protecting yourself. You’re always willing to lend a hand, but not to the point where it will negatively affect you. New Line Cinema / Via youtube.com You got: Dragon You inspire fear and awe, and you’re fiercely protective of the people and possessions you cherish. You’re a creature of comfort and you enjoy living luxuriously, but you’re by no means lazy. If provoked, you’re a fearsome enemy, but you’re not easily angered. You enjoy time to yourself, but you also require intellectual stimulation, because behind all that raw power, you’re also sharp as a tack. Spyglass / Via leepacepie.tumblr.com You got: Unicorn You magical, perfect creature!

You have a pure heart and you always see the best in people. You value the simple pleasures in life, and you’re an eternal optimist. You’re protective of those close to you, but you avoid conflict at all costs. You do best in small crowds and one-on-one situations, and when you trust someone, you trust them entirely. Regency / Via lovethispic.com You got: Fairy Positively enchanting! You’re naturally adorable, but your enemies are in for a nasty surprise if they think that means you’re helpless. You’re feisty and quick to act, and you’re a bit of a trickster and enjoy practical jokes. You know how to enjoy yourself. From appreciating a sunny day to standing up for what you think is right, you carpe the diem, always. 10 Beasts That Used To Be Mythical - Listverse 10 Beasts That Used To Be Mythical TyB April 16, 2010 This list is about animals that were once thought to be mere legends, but were eventually confirmed to be real. Today, many of these “mythical beasts” are so well known that we couldn’t imagine a zoo without them!

10 Gorilla As famous as gorillas are today, there was a time in which they were no more tan a myth. Explorers would return from African jungles and tell stories about hairy, giant man-beasts of terrible strength and temper, with a nasty habit of abducting and raping women! Such stories were dismissed by scientists as nonsense, and as a result, the gorilla was unknown to science until quite recently. It is believed that the first gorilla report comes from Greek explorer Hanno, from the 5th century BC. Hanno traveled to the western coasts of Africa, possibly to Sierra Leona or even the gulf of Guinea, and reported “an island filled with savage people, most of them women, and covered on hair. Our interpreters call them gorillae”. Maybe we should mention that not everyone is convinced about Hanno having encountered actual gorillas (his gorillae could have been chimpanzees). Much later, in 1625, British explorer Andrew Batell reported seeing a “monster” covered on hair except for the face and hands, which slept in trees and fed on fruit.

According to him, this “monster” was most similar to a man, but “with the stature of a giant”. Gorillas remained obscure and poorly understood for many more years, being often thought of as brutish, unintelligent and extremely violent. It wasn’t until 1847 that a westerner (physician Thomas Savage) managed to obtain several gorilla bones, including a skull, while in Liberia, and published the very first formal description of the great ape. The next decade, explorer Paul du Chaillu became the first modern European to see a live gorilla during his expeditions to equatorial Africa. As for the mountain gorilla, a different, larger species, it was believed to be a myth until 1902! 9 Okapi I have already talked about the Okapi, but it would be wrong to leave it out of this list. The Okapi was well known to the Ancient Egyptians (although it was not native to Egypt) and of course, to the pygmies who lived in the same central African forests. Europeans, however, didn’t believe the pygmies’ stories; they considered the okapi to be a mythical creature, and even called it “The African Unicorn”!

In 1890, Henry Stanley explored the jungles of the Congo and he became interested in a native word, “okapi” (which he misheard and wrote as “atti”). The pygmies used the word both for the non-native domestic horse, and for another, large animal they occasionally caught and ate. A certain Sir Henry Johnston, who was to become the governor of Uganda, read Stanley’s book and became obsessed over the strange creature. He managed to find tracks from the animal as well as pieces of striped skin, which according to the pygmies, belonged to the mysterious okapi. Johnston sent the skin to London, where scientists, for the first time, took interest in the beast and hypothesized about its identity. Was it an unknown species of jungle zebra? Or maybe a late surviving, prehistoric Hipparion proto-horse? Since they didn’t have a better specimen, they named the animal Equus johnstoni, tentatively assuming that it was a member of the horse and zebra genus. In 1901, finally, Johnston managed to get an entire skin, and a skull. He sent them to London and scientists were utterly surprised.

The animal was incredibly similar to some fossilized remains of an ancient giraffe relative, found in 1838 in Greece! The mystery was solved; the mysterious African unicorn did exist, but it wasn’t a zebra or horse, but the last and only living relative to the giraffe! 8 Giant Panda Today, these mostly vegetarian, black and white bears are among the most famous animals in the world (what scientists call “charismatic megafauna”). However, they were practically unknown for centuries, even in China! Indeed, although Chinese artists have constantly depicted black bears and bamboo forests since ancient times, the giant panda was never depicted until the 20th century! Rumors and reports of a strange “white bear” found in Chinese mountains were regarded as myths until 1869, when French missionary Armand David sent the skin of a hunted specimen to Europe. It was only then that pandas were finally accepted by scientists as a real animal. Giant pandas were finally seen alive by a European in 1916, when German zoologist Hugo Weigold got to see and buy a cub. (Don’t get excited, they don’t sell baby pandas anymore).

As an interesting side note, giant pandas are known in China as the Great Bear-Cat; this is because pandas have vertical pupils, just like cats, but unlike other bears. They were once thought to be giant, aberrant relatives to the raccoon, but DNA testing has proved what seemed obvious from the beginning; that they are a true, if unusual member of the bear family. 7 Giraffe Yep, the uber-famous giraffe was once a mythical animal. We have to admit that, if we didn’t know giraffes and someone showed us a picture of one, we would have trouble to believe its existence. Just take a look at them! They ARE weird looking animals. Giraffes were relatively familiar to the Ancient Egyptians, even though they were not native to Egypt (pharaoh Ramses II is said to have kept a giraffe, among other exotic pets, in his private zoo). The Greek, on the other hand, thought of the giraffe as a legendary beast, the camelopard, which was said to be the result of the mating of a camel and a leopard! Even today, the giraffe’s scientific name (Giraffa camelopardalis) pays tribute to this legend.

The Roman were more used to the giraffe after some of them were captured and sent to Rome both as exotic pets for the Emperor and as an exhibition in the Circus Maximus. After this, however, no more giraffes were known in Europe until 1486, when a live specimen was given to Lorenzo de Medici in Florence. It is also known that when the Chinese first saw a giraffe in 1414, they thought it was a Qilin, a legendary beast of Chinese mythology, and even today, the word kirin is used for the giraffe in several Asian countries. (Interesting side note: giraffes did exist in Asia and even in Europe in prehistoric times!). 6 Takin In the well known Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts, Jason is sent by his evil uncle Pelias into a suicidal mission; to get hold of the Golden Fleece. This was the fleece of a semi-divine ram named Chrysomallus, who had been sired by Poseidon himself. Some experts believe that the legend of the Golden Fleece was inspired by the golden coat of a real animal, today known as Golden Takin. This animal is found in the Himalaya.

Although described by western scientists in 1850, the Takin has always been somewhat of a legend; in Bhutan, its origins are said to be supernatural. It is said that in the 15th century, a powerful and wise Lama visited the country and was urged by his followers to perform a miracle. Eventually the Lama accepted, and told them to bring him a whole goat and a whole cow. People did as he asked, and the Lama, much to the amazement of everyone, ate all the meat of the goat and cow leaving only bones! But this was not the real miracle. Once he finished his unlikely meal, the Lama took parts of the cow and the goat and pieced them together, forming a new animal. Then, with a snap of his fingers, he gave it life. The strange resulting animal was the Takin. Due to this interesting legend, the Takin is a most revered creature in Bhutan, and is considered the national animal in said country. 5 Python Today we tend to imagine dragons as being rather dinosaur-like, but early historians actually described them as being huge serpents that killed their prey by coiling around them and “crushing them to death”.

Isidore de Seville said that the “dragon” was the largest kind of serpent, while Pliny the Elder described colossal battles between the constricting dragon and the elephant. According to him, the dragon would coil around the elephant and strangle it, but then the elephant would fall to the ground, vanquished, and crush the dragon under its weight. He also mentioned that dragons were found in Ethiopia, but that that the largest ones were found in India. In the 8th century AD, St. John of Damascus said “I am not telling you, after all, that there are no dragons; dragons exist, but they are serpents born from other serpents. When just born and young, they are small, but then they grow up and mature, they become so big and fat that they exceed other serpents in length and size. It is said that they grow up to thirty cubits or more, and become as thick as a huge log”. This all sounds like an obvious description of python snakes, which do kill prey by constriction, are the largest snakes in the Old World (growing up to 8 or 9 meters, sometimes more!), and do live in Ethiopia and India.

In other words… pythons and dragons are one and the same! Even the name Python is borrowed from an ancient dragon from Greek mythology, so big and powerful that only the sun god Apollo could defeat her. Although occasionally some pythons were captured and sent for exhibition to Rome in ancient times, they held their mythical status for a long time. 4 Giant squid One of the most famous mythical sea monsters is the Kraken. Legends of this formidable denizen of the sea, armed with powerful tentacles and strong enough to sink a ship, were told in Norway and Iceland and according to modern scientists, were based on sightings of the giant squid (Architeuthis). Since the giant squid prefers to live in abyssal waters, it is almost never seen alive by humans; even so, dead specimens are sometimes washed ashore, and so the existence of the creature has been reported since ancient times; Pliny the Elder mentioned them in his treaty on Natural History, and said that they could grow up to 9.1 meters long (now we know they get bigger!).

As well as the legend of the Kraken, the giant squid may have inspired other classic myths, including the Greek Scylla, a multi-headed monster that snatched men from their ships and devoured them, and even the “sea serpents” that strangled Laocoön and his sons in the Iliad. But even though giant squids were reported by Aristotle and Pliny the Elder, they were so fantastic that even later scientists still had trouble to believe in their existence; in 1861, the crew of the Alecton dispatch steamer had a close encounter with a giant squid, and even managed to get hold of a piece of the animal’s tail. However, they were ridiculed by scientists, who told them that such a creature was “against the laws of nature”! Even today, the giant squid maintains its semi-legendary status. We all know it exists, but it has been called “the most elusive image in Natural History”. It was only in 2004 that the giant squid was finally photographed in its natural habitat; the first video was taken two years later.

3 Komodo dragon It is said sometimes that Komodo dragons were discovered by a downed pilot from WWI who swam to a remote island in Indonesia and reported seeing giant reptiles in the island’s coasts. Unfortunately, no one believed him. Other versions say that the dragons had already been reported before, and that eventually, the rumors of “land crocodiles” and “prehistoric monsters” roaming Komodo and the nearby islands became too persistent to be ignored; in 1910, a Dutch lieutenant decided to go to the island and get evidence of the creature’s existence. He succeeded, and sent a photo and the skin of a gigantic lizard to Bogor, Java, where the director of the Zoological Museum described it formally for the first time. Later, in 1926, a much publicized expedition to Komodo resulted in the capture of two live specimens; this expedition inspired one of the most famous movies of all times, King Kong, which was also about prehistoric animals found in a remote island. The movie’s director even wanted to have Komodo dragons in the movie! But this was ultimately not possible and he replaced them with animated dinosaurs. Komodo dragons are the world’s largest lizards.

One modern day myth about them is that they lack venom, and that their victims die of blood poisoning thanks to the deadly bacteria in the dragon’s mouth. Although it is true that dragons have plenty of dangerous bacteria on their saliva, recent studies have suggested that they are also able to produce powerful, hemorrhage and paralysis-inducing venom, making them the largest venomous animals alive. 2 Beaked whale The Ziphius or “Sea Owl” was a legendary sea monster, described in medieval times, which was said to have huge eyes and a beak-like mouth, hence its name. The creature was described as being of enormous size and able to destroy a ship if enraged, although, fortunately, it was also extremely difficult to see. Today, scientists believe that the inspiration for this myth were the little known beaked whales. These mysterious cetaceans look like giant dolphins but are not related closely to them; they live in deer waters and are rarely seen in the surface (although they of course need to breathe air as do all whales). Most of what we know about them comes from dead specimens washed ashore. Some species are only known from carcasses or even bones found in some remote beach!

As a tribute to the mythical creature, one species of beaked whale is called Ziphius by scientists. Beaked whales deserve the second place in this list because they were mythical creatures in the past, and they are semi-mythical even today. Scientists would give anything to know more about these huge creatures, but the “Sea Owl” doesn’t seem willing to reveal its secrets just yet. 1 Tiger The tiger is one of the best known animals in the world, but this was not always the case. To the ancient Greek, the tiger was a legendary animal, known as the manticore (from Persian martya, “man”, and xwar, “comer”), and described in “Indika”, a treaty by a certain Ctesias about India, which used to be popular among Greek naturalists and historians but is sadly lost today. According to Pausanias in his “Description of Greece”: “The beast described by Ctesias in his Indian history, which he says is called mantichoras by the Indians and man-eater by the Greek, I am inclined to believe is the tiger.

But that it has three rows of teeth along each jaw and spikes at the tip of its tail with which it defends itself at close quarters, while it hurls them like an archer’s arrows at more distant enemies; all this is, I think, a false story that the Indians pass on from one to another owing to their excessive dread of the beast”. It makes sense for the tiger to be the inspiration for the manticore. The latter was said to live in India and south eastern Asia (the tiger’s main range), and to be lion-like in size and appearance, but with reddish fur. It was also said to have the tail of a scorpion, which could have been inspired by the black rings and black tip in the tiger’s tail. And it was reported to be so fierce that it would snatch adult men from villages and drag them into the jungle, after which they were never seen again. Same was often the case with the great cat. Even though tigers were often seen in the circus in Ancient Rome, they weren’t seen in Europe for a long time after the Empire’s fall, and they once again became a legend.

Fantastic stories about them were told in medieval bestiaries; in some of them, hunters would steal tiger cubs and when the adult tiger chased them, they would throw a mirror or a crystal ball and the tiger would either stop to admire its own reflection, or mistake it for its cub and abandon the chase. It was also famous for its speed; the name tigris itself, from which “tiger” derives, is actually the ancient Persian word for arrow! More Great Lists

Question: Which mythical creature is on the flag of Bhutan?
Answer: A DRAGON